Newsworthy

In 1993, Bill Clinton became president, Jurassic Park debuted, and the Cotton O’Neil Heart Center earned its first vascular testing accreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). A lot has changed since then, but our commitment to providing the best in vascular testing and care remains the same!

That’s why, after 30 years, we’re proud to achieve the Gold Milestone Award for maintaining continuous IAC accreditation. As one of the first facilities to earn IAC accreditation in vascular testing, we are truly part of an elite group representing our continuous commitment to quality patient care.

“Maintaining IAC accreditation is absolutely a group effort,” said Cindy Richard, RVT, RDCS, RDMS, Cardiovascular Ultrasound Team Leader. “Sonographers, interpreting physicians, and leadership each make our lab a five-star facility. Under the direction of our Medical Director, Dr. Steven Watkins, the Heart Center has continuously surpassed the standard of excellence by maintaining accreditation since 1993, almost since the IAC’s inception in 1991.”

The life-saving potential of early detection of heart disorders, stroke, and other diseases through vascular testing procedures further emphasizes the significance of IAC accreditation, which stands as the “gold standard” in vascular testing.

“Our cadre of sonographers have made the Stormont Vail vascular ultrasound facility one of the nation’s most outstanding labs for the last three decades,” said Dr. Watkins, Medical Director at the Cotton O’Neil Heart Center. “They’re highly skilled in the difficult cross-section of the science and art of ultrasound and the complex art of patient care. They’re also insightful, compassionate, intelligent, hard-working, constantly learning, funny, and fun. Cindy, Cardiovascular Ultrasound Team Leader, has diligently shepherded the IAC accreditation process for many cycles, and we owe her our highest gratitude.”

This recognition is a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication to delivering safe, effective, compassionate care using accreditation as a quality metric. It also reminds us of the importance of putting patients first and continuously striving to improve the quality of care provided.

“We are extremely proud to recognize the 30-year, first group of accredited vascular testing facilities through the Gold milestone recognition program,” said Mary Lally, MS, CAE, CEO of the IAC. “These early adopters of accreditation who maintained their commitment to quality are truly a remarkable group and champions of accreditation who have paved the way and inspired countless others to embrace this process through their example.”